Ore-washer



J. PRITCHETT.

Gold Washer.

No. 6,781.- Patented Oct. 9, 1849.

-UNITED STATES QFFCE.

JACOB PRITOHETT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE-WASHER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB PRITOHETT, of thecity and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Machines forWVashing Gold; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full andexact description thereof.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification;Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the machine ready for use;Fig. 2, a sectional view of the pan and sieves; Fig. 3, a sectionshowing the arrangement of the gearing.

Letter A, Fig. 1, tub or reservoir; B, pan; 0, tubes to conduct thewater and dirt from the sieves to the bottom of the pan; D, pump; E,rockers; F, rod with fingers which reach near the bottom of the rocker.The rod is connected to the band which supports the pan, and at theopposite end is supported by the upright G which serves to give areciprocating motion to the rockers E. On the inner surface of E isseveral curved ribs so arranged as to prevent the gold from passing downtoward the lower end of the rocker, and also to contain mercury, whichis used for the purpose of collecting the small particles of gold. Icranks of equal sweep which support the pan and serve to give a rotaryswinging motion. J piston rod to the pump. K bevel wheel on the crankshaft. L bevel pinion on the upright crank shaft I. M bevel pinion onthe lower end of the crank shaft I.

Fig. 3 represents the manner of arranging the gearing. U bracket whichis fastened to the tub Fig. 1. K bevel wheel. L, M bevel pinions. N, N,set screws passing through bracket U against wheel K. O, pinion fastenedin bracket U and pressing against rib X. X rib which is raised about ofan inch and passes half way around the wheel. The shaft to wheel K musthave sufficient room to vibrate in the boX to allow wheel K to bealternately in gear with L and M. Thus it will be observed that byturning up the lower set screw to the position shown in Fig. 3 the rib Xcoming in contact with this lower set screw and pin 0 alterantely thewheel K will be thrown in gear with the pinions L and M each for a halfrevolution giving the pan a reciprocating swinging motion. WVhen it isdesirable to give the pan a regular motion, by turning back the lowerset screw N so as to clear the rib Xi and turning forward the upper setscrew the wheel K will be in gear with L only. 0, Fig. 1 filterer whichcan be removed to empty the dirt. P tube passing from the filterer tothe tub R cone and S frustum of a cone which may be used in place of thesieves B Fig. 2. Around the aperture in S there is a rim to prevent thegold from passing through. Fig. 2, B sieves. C movable bottom with acavity at the center for the reception of the gold dust. D, rim passingaround the aperture in the bottom of the pan. E spiral rib on the innersurface of the bottom of the pan.

, Having thus fully shown the construction of my gold washer, I willproceed to describe its operation.

I fill the tub A, with water and shovel the earth containing the goldinto the pan B. Then by turning the crank T it gives the pan a rotaryswinging motion, and the rocker a reciprocating and vibrating motion.And as the rod F moves about twice the distance of the rocker, thefingers from F will stir up any dirt, that would otherwise settle in therockers, the pump being allowed to vibrate, and the piston rod beingconnected to the pan as represented in Fig. 1, the motion of the pan B,will work the pump thereby keeping a constant supply of water in thepan; the motion of the pan will cause the dirt to pass through thetubes, C, Fig. 1; and F Fig. 2. The large pieces of gold will beretained in the sieves B, and the small particles will be caught at C,D, and E; and if the most minute particles pass here, they will becollected by the mercury in the rocker E.

Having thus fully shown the construction and operation of my goldwasher, what I claim as new and my invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. The arrangement of the bevel wheel with a rib onthe back in combination with the pin 0 set screws N andpinions L and Mits fingers, substantially in the manner and which are for the purposeof giving a refor the purpose set forth. ciprocating rotary motion tothe pan.

2. The vibrating pump in combination JACOB PRITGHETT' 5 With the pan.Witnesses:

3. The reciprocating rocker With curved WM. BULLOCK, ribs in combinationwith the shaft'F, and I. B. MURPHY,

